#EnergiaAIL Women’s Division: Round 5 Previews

The Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division resumes on Saturday, with Ennis on the road to unbeaten leaders Galwegians, and two of the top four teams, Wicklow and Blackrock College, clashing as part of a triple header at Ashtown Lane.

ENERGIA ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION – ROUND 5:

Saturday, November 8

Kick-off 5pm unless stated –

UL BOHEMIAN (2nd) v COOKE (9th), UL 4G pitch, 4.15pm

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UL Bohemian: WWWW; Cooke: LWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UL Bohemian: Points: Alana McInerney 45; Tries: Alana McInerney 9; Cooke: Points: Shola Iluyemi 10; Tries: Shola Iluyemi 2

Preview: UL Bohemian and Cooke open up the latest round of Women’s Division action with an earlier kick-off of 4.15pm. The defending champions have been all business in the last two rounds, racking up 113 points and 19 tries without conceding any points to Old Belvedere or Ennis.

Alana McInerney, who is leading the charge with nine tries so far, is part of a mostly settled UL Bohs line-up for tomorrow. Rachel Allen, Abbie Salter-Townshend, Emma Dunican, and Anaïs Jubin are handed starts, with the latter joining Lily Brady and captain Chloe Pearse in the back row.

Cooke have been held scoreless by Wicklow and Galwegians in recent weeks, and also failed to score when the Red Robins visited them last year. Converting their possession and territory into points is a must for Brian McLaughlin’s side, who are back in Munster in the next round to face Ennis.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 26, 2024: Cooke 0 UL Bohemian 94, Shaw’s Bridge; Saturday, March 1, 2025: UL Bohemian 28 Cooke 0, Annacotty (UL Bohemian awarded 28-0 result and five league points; Cooke deducted five points for conceding match)

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UL Bohemian to win

BALLINCOLLIG (7th) v RAILWAY UNION (8th), Tanner Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Ballincollig: LLWL; Railway Union: LLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Ballincollig: Points: Aoife Madigan, Eve Prendergast 15 each; Tries: Aoife Madigan, Eve Prendergast 3 each; Railway Union: Points: Claire Boles 20; Tries: Claire Boles 4

Preview: Ballincollig sit one place and one point above Railway Union in the current standings, but the Dubliners got back on track with a big win over Tullow during the last round. ‘Collig are smarting from a 60-14 reversal in Blackrock, although half-backs Fia Whelan and Eve Prendergast both played well.

The bad news for the Cork outfit is that Railway have strengthened their starting XV for tomorrow with more players with provincial and international experience. Leah Tarpey, Aoife McDermott, and Leinster captain Molly Boyne all come in, along with Evelyn Donnelly and teenage winger Ava Usanova.

Ireland dual international Claire Boles continues at number 8 for last season’s beaten finalists, with Ballincollig captain Aoife Madigan her opposite number. She is one of four changes for the hosts, alongside Niamh Crotty, Emma Connolly, who starts at out-half, and Katelyn Fleming.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 14, 2024: Railway Union 91 Ballincollig 0, Park Avenue; Saturday, January 11, 2025: Ballincollig 3 Railway Union 58, Tanner Park

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Railway Union to win

GALWEGIANS (1st) v ENNIS (6th), Crowley Park

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Galwegians: WWWW; Ennis: WWLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Galwegians: Points: Síofra Hession 28; Tries: Kila Curran Coleman, Jemima Adams Verling 5 each; Ennis: Points: Caoilfhionn Conway Morrissey 15; Tries: Caoilfhionn Conway Morrissey 3

Preview: Kila Curran Coleman, the league’s joint-second top try scorer with five tries, slots back in on the right wing as pacesetters Galwegians aim to make it five wins on the trot. The versatile Dolores Hughes joins Gráinne Moran at half-back, with Niamh Murphy also brought into the back-line.

Blue Belles head coach Jack Clarke has made three further changes up front, including a first league appearance of the new season for Connacht’s Stacy Hanley, at blindside flanker. Stung by a heavy home defeat to UL Bohs a fortnight ago, Ennis will travel to Glenina in determined mood.

There is a big back-line reshuffle for Ennis, as Gareth O’Hanlon hands the reins at out-half to American signing Samer Hamdan, and Lyndsay Clarke switches to full-back. Aoibhinn O’Loughlin dons the number 14 jersey, and Caoilinn Cahill and Eileen Keane are added to the pack.

Recent League Meetings – N/A

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Galwegians to win

TULLOW (10th) v OLD BELVEDERE (5th), Blackgates

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Tullow: LLLL; Old Belvedere: WLLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Tullow: Points: France Bloomfield 6; Tries: Roisin O’Toole, Alex O’Brien, Katie Ann O’Neill, Chloe Farrell, Emma Carroll, Nicola Kilcoyne, Orla Hanlon 1 each; Old Belvedere: Points: Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton 25; Tries: Hannah Clarke, Robyn O’Connor 2 each

Preview: Another heavy-hitting Dublin side for Tullow to contend with. Back at loosehead prop tomorrow, captain Grace Kelly has spoken about their goal of making Blackgates much more of a fortress, and Steven Hogg’s squad will be targeting some key areas for improvement against Old Belvedere.

On the plus side for the Carlow women, they have scored 45 points so far and are well on their way to beating their 119-point haul from last season. Belvedere recorded 60-0 and 45-5 victories when the teams met either side of last Christmas, with winger Megan Edwards contributing three tries.

‘Belvo boss Fiona Hayes will be viewing November as a month to make some serious inroads. They welcome back rugby league internationals Lisa Callan and Emma Kelly in the forwards, along with New Zealander Eilis Doyle. Leinster young gun Jane Neill is also back, poised to make an impact off the bench.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 14, 2024: Old Belvedere 60 Tullow 0, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, January 11, 2025: Tullow 5 Old Belvedere 45, Blackgates

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win

WICKLOW (4th) v BLACKROCK COLLEGE (3rd), Ashtown Lane

Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Wicklow: WLWL; Blackrock College: LWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Wicklow: Points: Beth Roberts 22; Tries: Vicky Elmes Kinlan 4; Blackrock College: Points: Maggie Boylan, Maeve Óg O’Leary 25 each; Tries: Maggie Boylan, Maeve Óg O’Leary 5 each

Preview: ‘Super Saturday’ comes to Ashtown Lane as the Wicklow Women headline a trio of home fixtures that also features the club’s two senior Men’s teams. Blackrock College needed a late try from Maeve Liston to edge out Wicklow 17-10 in the corresponding match twelve months ago.

After missing Wicklow’s loss to Old Belvedere last time out, co-captain Rachel Griffey returns at number 8. Dannii Masters and Renee Koper also come into the pack, while New Zealander Jamie Church moves position to team up with Vicky Elmes Kinlan in a dangerous-looking centre combination.

Ireland Sevens international Kate Farrell McCabe is set to make her Blackrock debut, joining her older sister, scrum-half Lauren, in their matchday squad for the first time. Sam Brackett and Nikki Gibson have been added to the tight five, with Leinster’s Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair returning for a bench role.

Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 26, 2024: Wicklow 10 Blackrock College 17, Ashstown Lane; Thursday, March 20, 2025: Blackrock College 41 Wicklow 29, Stradbrook

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Blackrock College to win

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